Investigating the Roles of SMAD4 and TGF-α in Promoting Metaplasia and Pancreatitis

Abstract

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is the most common neoplasm of the pancreas. Despite its low frequency of 6-12 people per 100,000 per year, it is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States. This high mortality rate can be attributed to a lack of early detection methods and effective treatments. Chronic pancreatitis has been shown to be a risk factor for pancreatic cancer and is characterized by fibro-inflammatory changes of the pancreatic tissue. This study sought to create a mouse model that mimics the symptoms of chronic pancreatitis seen in humans associated with PDAC. A suitable model will display a transient state from acinar-ductal meta-plasia (ADM) to PanINs without progressing to cancer. Such a model would provide the chance to examine the precursor to PDAC and potentially pave the way towards designing new treatment options.